A method and system for configuring a model of a process. A model of a process is provided, which follows a particular sequence. Such a model includes a plurality of component sub-models, wherein each component sub-model among the component sub-models includes one or more input variables and one or more output variables. Such a method and system also generally includes automatically assigning one or more output variables to one or more input variables based on information associated with the particular sequence of the process.
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1. A method for configuring a model of a process, said method comprising: a processor; providing one or more component blocks, wherein each of the component blocks corresponds to a particular sub-model of the process and comprises one or more input variables and one or more output variables, wherein each input variable is associated with a process category and a search direction and each output variable is associated with a process category; arranging the one or more component blocks in a particular sequence to provide a process path corresponding to the model of the process; executing an automatic model configuration tool to: search starting from an input variable in the search direction associated with the input variable along the process path; and automatically assign a particular output variable to the input variable when the process category of the particular output variable matches the process category of the input variable.
A method for automatically configuring a process model using a processor. The process model contains component sub-models arranged in a specific sequence, forming a process path. Each sub-model has input and output variables; each input variable has a process category (e.g., temperature, pressure) and a search direction (e.g., upstream, downstream), while each output variable also has a process category. An automatic model configuration tool searches for compatible output variables for each input. It starts from an input variable and searches in its specified direction along the process path. The tool automatically connects a particular output variable to the input variable if their process categories match.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing a same reference parameter to both the input variable and the particular output variable to connect them.
In addition to the process model configuration method described in Claim 1, a shared reference parameter is assigned to both the input and the matching output variable. This reference parameter creates a link between the two variables, effectively connecting them within the model. So, when automatically assigning a particular output variable to an input variable when the process category of the particular output variable matches the process category of the input variable, a same reference parameter is provided to both the input variable and the particular output variable to connect them.
3. The method of claim 1 : wherein each component block includes at least one inport connector and at least one outport connector, wherein said at least one inport connector and said at least one outport connector connect said component block in said particular sequence of said process.
In addition to the process model configuration method described in Claim 1, each component block representing a sub-model includes at least one input connector (inport) and at least one output connector (outport). These connectors physically link the component blocks together, establishing the defined sequence of the process. The at least one inport connector and said at least one outport connector connect said component block in said particular sequence of said process. So, when arranging the one or more component blocks in a particular sequence to provide a process path corresponding to the model of the process, the component blocks are connected with inport and outport connectors.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: automatically creating an overall model readout by placing a readout block at a desired location in said particular sequence of said process.
In addition to the process model configuration method described in Claim 1, an overall model readout is automatically created by placing a special readout block at a specific location within the process sequence. This readout block serves as a point for extracting data from the model. So, after arranging the one or more component blocks in a particular sequence to provide a process path corresponding to the model of the process, an overall model readout is automatically created by placing a readout block at a desired location in said particular sequence of said process.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising: within said readout block, selecting a category of a readout signal to be read out; and relative to said readout block within said particular sequence of the process, assigning the closest output variable among output variables which has the same category as that of said selected readout signal to said overall model readout utilizing a reference parameter.
In addition to the process model configuration method with the overall model readout as described in Claim 4, a specific signal category (e.g., flow rate, temperature) to be monitored is selected within the readout block. The system then identifies the closest output variable, relative to the readout block's position in the process sequence, that has the same category as the selected readout signal. This output variable is then linked to the overall model readout using a reference parameter, allowing the readout block to display the value of that variable.
6. A system for configuring a model of a process, said system comprising: a processor; a data bus coupled to the processor; and a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer code, said non-transitory computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for: providing a model of a process that follows a particular sequence, said model comprising a plurality of component sub-models, wherein each component sub-model among said plurality of component sub-models comprises one or more input variables and one or more output variables and wherein each input variable is associated with a process category and a search direction and each output variable is associated with a process category; wherein the search direction defines a direction to search the process path for an output variable having the same process category as the input variable; executing an automatic model configuration tool to: search starting from an input variable in the search direction associated with the input variable along the process path; and automatically assign the input variable to a particular output variable when the process category associated with the input variable matches the process category associated with the particular output variable.
A system for automatically configuring a process model using a processor and a data bus. The system uses a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer code. The computer code contains instructions for providing a process model that follows a specific sequence and is made up of component sub-models. Each sub-model contains input and output variables; each input variable has a process category and a search direction, while each output variable also has a process category. The search direction defines a direction to search the process path for an output variable having the same process category as the input variable. An automatic model configuration tool searches for compatible output variables for each input variable and connects the input variable to a particular output variable when their process categories match.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said instructions are further configured for: providing a same reference parameter to both the input variable and the particular output variable to connect them.
In addition to the process model configuration system described in Claim 6, the instructions are further configured to assign a shared reference parameter to both the input and the matching output variable. This reference parameter creates a link between the two variables, effectively connecting them within the model. So, a same reference parameter is provided to both the input variable and the particular output variable to connect them.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein said instructions are further configured for: configuring each component sub-model among said plurality of component sub-models to be embedded in a component block with at least one inport connector and at least one outport connector, wherein said at least one inport connector and said at least one outport connector connect said component block in said particular sequence of the process.
In addition to the process model configuration system described in Claim 6, the instructions are further configured to embed each sub-model into a component block with at least one input connector (inport) and at least one output connector (outport). These connectors physically link the component blocks together, establishing the defined sequence of the process. So, each component sub-model among said plurality of component sub-models is configured to be embedded in a component block with at least one inport connector and at least one outport connector, wherein said at least one inport connector and said at least one outport connector connect said component block in said particular sequence of the process.
9. The system of claim 6 wherein said instructions are further configured for: automatically creating an overall model readout by placing a readout block at a desired location in said particular sequence of the process.
In addition to the process model configuration system described in Claim 6, the instructions are further configured to automatically create an overall model readout by placing a special readout block at a specific location within the process sequence. This readout block serves as a point for extracting data from the model. So, after arranging the one or more component blocks in a particular sequence to provide a process path corresponding to the model of the process, an overall model readout is automatically created by placing a readout block at a desired location in said particular sequence of said process.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for: within said readout block, selecting a category of a readout signal to be readout out; and relative to said readout block within said particular sequence of the process, assigning the closest output variable among output variables which has the same category as that of said selected readout signal to said overall model readout utilizing a reference parameter.
In addition to the process model configuration system with the overall model readout as described in Claim 9, the instructions are further configured to select a specific signal category (e.g., flow rate, temperature) to be monitored within the readout block. The system then identifies the closest output variable, relative to the readout block's position in the process sequence, that has the same category as the selected readout signal. This output variable is then linked to the overall model readout using a reference parameter, allowing the readout block to display the value of that variable.
11. A non-transitory computer-usable medium for configuring a model of a process, said non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for: providing a model of a process that follows a particular sequence, said model comprising a plurality of component sub-models, wherein each component sub-model among said plurality of component sub-models comprises one or more input variables and one or more output variables and wherein each input variable is associated with a process category and a search direction and each output variable is associated with a process category; executing an automatic model configuration tool to: search starting from an input variable in the search direction associated with the input variable along the process path; and automatically assign the input variable to a particular output variable when the process category associated with the particular input variable matches the process category associated with the particular output variable.
A non-transitory computer-usable medium holding computer program code for automatically configuring a process model. The computer code contains instructions for providing a process model that follows a specific sequence and is made up of component sub-models. Each sub-model contains input and output variables; each input variable has a process category and a search direction, while each output variable also has a process category. An automatic model configuration tool searches for compatible output variables for each input variable and connects the input variable to a particular output variable when their process categories match.
12. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 wherein said embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for: providing a same reference parameter to both the input variable and the particular output variable to connect them.
In addition to the computer-usable medium for process model configuration described in Claim 11, the computer program code further assigns a shared reference parameter to both the input and the matching output variable. This reference parameter creates a link between the two variables, effectively connecting them within the model. So, a same reference parameter is provided to both the input variable and the particular output variable to connect them.
13. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 wherein said embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for: configuring each component sub-model among said plurality of component sub-models to be embedded in a component block with at least one inport connector and at least one outport connector, wherein said at least one inport connector and said at least one outport connector connect said component block in said particular sequence of the process.
In addition to the computer-usable medium for process model configuration described in Claim 11, the computer program code further embeds each sub-model into a component block with at least one input connector (inport) and at least one output connector (outport). These connectors physically link the component blocks together, establishing the defined sequence of the process. So, each component sub-model among said plurality of component sub-models is configured to be embedded in a component block with at least one inport connector and at least one outport connector, wherein said at least one inport connector and said at least one outport connector connect said component block in said particular sequence of the process.
14. The computer-usable medium of claim 11 wherein said embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for: automatically creating an overall model readout by placing a readout block at a desired location in said particular sequence of the process.
In addition to the computer-usable medium for process model configuration described in Claim 11, the computer program code further automatically creates an overall model readout by placing a special readout block at a specific location within the process sequence. This readout block serves as a point for extracting data from the model. So, after arranging the one or more component blocks in a particular sequence to provide a process path corresponding to the model of the process, an overall model readout is automatically created by placing a readout block at a desired location in said particular sequence of said process.
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September 10, 2010
September 24, 2013
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